AWAKENED
by JagfanNat
Summary: Set after Jagathon and 'back at the beginning' of our duo's relationship. Will Harm wake up to his feelings for Mac before it's too late? Conclusion now posted.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine, just having a little fun with them. Pretty Please, don't sue!

A/N: This is my second fanfic ever. And you wonderful readers were so kind last time, I thought I'd have another go. So if you like it and you'd like me to write more...don't forget to click on the blue GO button at the bottom of the page...hint hint!

A/N2: Set directly after Jagathon, because, quite frankly, I hated the whole 'back at the beginning' scenario. I mean, really! DPB takes us through six years (!!) of ups and downs in our favourite duo's lives...and then expects us to go back to the beginning? Seriously!! So this is how I think it should have gone.

Super special thanks to NettieC: my idol in Fanfic World, and fixer of all things pertaining to grammar. (If you haven't read her...why not, I ask?! You can find her wonderful stories on this site.)

AWAKENED – By JagfanNat

Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. tossed and turned in the narrow rack of his assigned quarters on the USS Seahawk. He couldn't sleep. His mind was back home in DC, more accurately on _someone_ back home in DC. This was his sixth week on the aircraft carrier, replacing the onboard JAG who had broken his leg falling down one of the many stairways on the ship. Harm was due to head home the next morning and couldn't wait. Just before being sent TAD, he finally felt he had made some headway in rebuilding his relationship with a particular Marine close to his heart. They were close again, spending a lot of time together; mostly for work but occasionally socialising. Their friendly banter was back, their competitiveness was back, and their friendship was almost back to where it had been before Australia. Life was looking good.

Until John Farrow showed up out of the blue the day before Harm was sent TAD. John Farrow was now retired and in Washington on business for a week, and thought he'd drop in on Mac, for old time's sake. He'd taken Mac out for lunch. Not a big deal considering their past history together, Harm had thought. But alarm bells started going off in Harm's head when Farrow had taken her out to dinner that same day. The next day Harm flew to the Seahawk.

Mac had emailed him several times during the first few weeks onboard, but something was off. She almost always only spoke of work and the goings on at the office, or how much AJ was growing. She mentioned in passing that it had been nice catching up with John Farrow, but nothing more. Then, last week, Mac dropped a bombshell in the form of announcing her engagement to Farrow. To say Harm was floored, would have been a gross understatement. He'd only been away five weeks and Farrow comes in a sweeps Mac off her feet and proposes to her. Then Harm made the mistake of voicing his concerns to Mac. Alright, maybe he hadn't voiced them in the best possible way, but he reasoned that he was only looking out for her best interest, being her best friend and all. Well, Mac hadn't seen it his way and proceeded to tell him he was only interested in her when he couldn't have her; that he was jealous and needed to get a life. Well, that was the gist of it anyhow. Now, he hadn't heard from her in four days.

Harm was showered, dressed and packed ready to leave two hours before his transport arrived. He couldn't get off that carrier fast enough. He had to get home and talk to Mac before she made a major mistake; a mistake that would not only alter her life, but his also. He had realized that he was in love with Mac at her engagement party about a year ago, which was why he had opted for the 'back at the beginning' option offered on their friendship at the Jagathon. He needed a chance to make things right between the two of them and that seemed the best way to go about it. It was working too, until Farrow showed up and Harm was sent TAD.

The trip back was long and tedious and when they finally touched down at Andrews Air Force Base, Harm couldn't get to his car fast enough. He arrived at JAG Headquarters at 1300 and reported to the Admiral's office immediately upon being told that Mac was still at lunch.

Coming out of the Admiral's office, Harm noticed Mac sitting at her desk and made his way to her office. Her door open, he knocked on her doorframe and said, "Hey, Marine."

Mac looked up and replied awkwardly, "Hey, you're back."

Harm looked down at Mac's left hand fidgeting with her pen. Then he noticed it: her engagement ring. No, wait! There were _two_ rings there. He looked up at Mac in horror. "You're married?"

Mac blushed. "We eloped on the weekend," she explained quietly.

What Harm said next could be heard throughout the bullpen, well into the Admiral's office.

"NOOOOO!"

A/N: Ok, so this is obviously not the end! Wanna know what happens? Let me know by hitting that little Go button. hehe!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not mine, just having a little fun with them. Pretty Please, don't sue!

A/N: You guys are so nice! Thanks for the feedback and encouraging words, so appreciated. Now, as requested by so many of you, here's the conclusion. Enjoy and don't forget to let me know what you thought.

AWAKENED – By JagfanNat

0216 SUNDAY

HARM'S APARTMENT

NORTH OF UNION STATION

Harm woke up breathless, in a cold sweat. It took him a minute to get his bearings and realize that he was in his apartment. It was a dream. A nightmare, actually. Harm took two deep breaths, got out of bed and headed for the shower. He was showered and dressed in a matter of minutes and raced out of his apartment, quickly grabbing something out of his sock drawer on the way. He drove his car as fast as he could toward Georgetown getting there in record time, with little traffic at that hour, and almost every traffic signal in his favor. He found a parking space just outside Mac's building and ran up the stairs taking them two at a time. As he got to her floor, he pulled out his cell phone and pressed one on his speed dial. Mac answered on the third ring.

"'llo," she answered sleepily.

"Mac, open your door. I don't want to wake your neighbors."

"Harm? What are.."

"Open the door, Mac." And Harm hung up.

Seconds later Mac opened the door dressed in only her shortie pyjamas, with a look of utter confusion on her sleepy face. Harm rushed in and Mac closed the door. "What are you doing here at three in the morning? Are you okay?" she asked turning back from the door to face him.

"No. No, I'm not," he answered, getting lost in her eyes.

"What is it, Harm?" she asked, suddenly worried.

"I can't go back to the beginning, Mac. I thought I could, but I can't." And with that, Harm stepped forward, took Mac in his arms and kissed her.

Shocked at first, Mac resisted for a split second. Then, as though they had a mind of their own, her arms reached up and her hands linked together behind his neck, bringing him closer to her. She'd never been kissed like this before in her entire life. The kiss was passionate, it was hungry, it was…desperate. And it was endless. Every time Harm stopped for air and she thought it was over, his lips would come crashing down again a fraction of a second later to possess her. She couldn't form a single coherent thought; she was lost, she was…branded. His.

It took several minutes for Harm to realize that Mac wasn't pushing him away, and that she was, in fact, a willing participant – very willing. His heart pounded even harder in his chest; maybe she felt the same way he did after all. He reluctantly pulled his lips away from hers, needing to see what her eyes would tell him. Her eyes slowly opened and what Harm saw there made his heart skip a beat – desire. Her eyes were dark with desire. For him.

Harm didn't wait for words to ruin the moment, as they often had in the past between them. Instead, he cupped Mac's face in his hands and stroking her cheeks gently with his thumbs, he lowered his lips to hers again. This time he kissed her so gently and oh, so slowly that Mac's knees went weak. She was thankful when Harm moved his hands from her face to around her waist for support. Never breaking the kiss, Harm slowly manoeuvred them towards the couch, to which she breathlessly murmured, "Bedroom," against his lips.

1008 SUNDAY

MAC'S APARTMENT

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC.

Harm was awakened by the bright sun streaming through the window, shining on his face. He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the light. Then he saw her. Mac was standing in her robe, facing the window. It hadn't been a dream.

"Good morning, beautiful," he greeted huskily.

"Morning," she replied, still facing the window. Harm immediately sensed something was wrong.

"You regret it." It was a statement more than a question.

"No. I could never…" she replied, turning to face him finally, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Then what is it?" he asked, patting the bed next to him in invitation.

Hesitantly, Mac sat on the edge of the bed. She really didn't want to ask, but she had to know. "Was this goodbye?"

Sitting bolt upright in the bed with a look of utter shock, Harm stammered, "Wha…what, what would make you think that?"

"You said you couldn't go back to the beginning," Mac paused and took a deep breath. "That only leaves the end, Harm."

Thinking back to their conversation after the Jagathon, Harm realized that there really were only two options at the time.

"Oh, Mac, you have to know this: I don't ever want there to be an end for us," he said as he took her in his arms. "When I said that I couldn't go back to the beginning, I meant that I couldn't go back to feeling nothing but the respect between two colleagues. Mac, there can't ever be an end for us, not after last night."

"Then where does that leave us?" Mac asked cautiously.

"Well, I was thinking I could do a do over and we could go on from there," he said simply.

"A do over?" Mac was puzzled.

"Yeah, there's one particular part of our history that I'd like to do over."

"Really, which part?" she asked intrigued, turning her head to look at him.

"Well among many others, the most important one is on that ferry in Sydney." He felt Mac tense in his arms, but continued. "If I had reacted differently, the way I really felt at the time, things would have been so different. I would have saved us both from so much hurt and wasted time."

Mac listened intently to what Harm was saying and could only nod in agreement and understanding.

"Ask me again," Harm said, breaking into her thoughts.

"Ask you what?" Mac questioned. Harm raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in askance. Mac thought back to that night on the ferry and understood what Harm was asking.

"Is that how long we're going to wait?" she asked in all seriousness.

"No. The wait is over," he replied, leaning in to seal the promise with a kiss.

"I love you so much, Sarah."

"I love you too, Harm," Mac answered before asking, "Why didn't you act on your feelings then?"

Harm looked into her eyes trying to find the courage to admit something he had never admitted to anyone in his life. In her eyes, he found encouragement, acceptance and something far more important – unconditional love. "I was afraid," he replied simply. There, he'd finally admitted it and if that made him weak, so be it.

Mac nodded. She understood that fear, for she had had it herself. Only she was able to somehow find the courage to make herself vulnerable on that ferry, and it had cost her her heart. The one thing she was afraid of, she now knew Harm was also afraid of, having their hearts broken. And now they were finally ready and willing to risk their hearts to each other.

Harm pulled Mac closer, untying her robe in the process, and kissed her deeply….

1211 SUNDAY

MAC'S APARTMENT

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, DC.

Mac awoke to the smell of coffee and fried bacon. Pulling on her robe, she made her way to the kitchen. There she found the love of her life, wearing nothing more than sweatpants, preparing their…brunch. Breakfast was long past. She could get used to this sight, she thought before greeting him.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," he answered, turning to kiss her softly. "How do you want your eggs."

"I'm feeling in a sunny side-up mood," she smiled.

"Coming right up," he grinned back.

They ate in comfortable silence, both very hungry after an emotional and physical night.

Watching Harm put away the final dish from the washing up, Mac asked, "What made you come over here in the middle of the night, Harm?"

"I had a nightmare that I lost you," he answered as he took her in his arms.

"Did I die?" she asked, snuggling into his chest.

Holding her tighter, he replied, "No. You, uh, you married someone else." Feeling a little foolish, he continued, "Promise me you'll never marry anyone but me."

Pulling slightly back so she could look into his eyes, Mac smiled saying, "Is that your idea of a romantic proposal, Flyboy?"

Harm looked deeply into those chocolate eyes he loved so much and answered, "No. This is…" and proceeded to drop on bended knee. Mac gasped as he took her left hand in his and produced a beautiful platinum solitaire ring from his pocket with his right hand. He held the ring up to her with trembling fingers. 'US Navy fighter pilot with nerves of steel is trembling.' Mac smiled at the thought.

"Mac, a long time ago I fell in love with my best friend. It was the last thing I expected and it scared me. I wasted so much time because I was afraid; afraid of getting my heart broken, afraid of losing you. But in the process of doing nothing about my feelings, I almost lost you anyway." He took a breath before continuing, thinking of how close she had come to marrying Mic Brumby. "Sarah MacKenzie, I love you with all my heart and want you to always be the first person I see in the morning and the last person I see at night. And I want more than anything to fulfil my promise to you of having a baby with you. Sarah, would you do me the honor of spending eternity with me as my wife?"

Her throat all choked up, Mac was finding it difficult to find her voice. So she nodded, and, clearing her throat, squeaked out a tiny "Yes." A small tear fell from her eye as Harm slid the ring onto her third finger and kissed it. Standing up to his full height, he scooped Mac into his arms and hugged her with all his might, lifting her off the floor.

Mac giggled and said, "Eternity is an awfully long time, Sailor."

Harm placed her back down and looking deep into her eyes, he said with all sincerity, "Not nearly long enough, Marine." He then proceeded to kiss her passionately, guiding her back to the bedroom.

Much later…

Mac lay with her head on Harm's shoulder, admiring her engagement ring on her hand resting on his chest.

Watching her intently, Harm asked, "Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's so beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you," he said, kissing her forehead.

"I love you, Harm."

"And I love _you_."

"Harm?"

"Mmm?"

"Who _did_ I marry in your dream?"

"Firstly it was a nightmare, and secondly, it doesn't matter who you married. You're marrying me."

"Come on Harm, who was it?"

"John Farrow," Harm finally relented.

"Really? That's so weird," Mac said, looking up at Harm.

"Why is it so weird? You had a relationship with him."

"No, not that. John phoned me on Friday, asking me out to lunch tomorrow. He's going to be in DC for business and thought it'd be nice to catch up."

Harm gave her a very strange look and said, "Call him now and cancel."

THE END

A/N: So, what do ya think? Any good? Garbage? Should I write another or stick to my day job?? Let me know.


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